The following article reporting on the sod cutting ceremony for the new church building was printed in the November 1982 edition of the Revivalist.

Saturday the 25th of September was a day of rejoicing for the congregation of Newtownards Free Presbyterian Church, not only was it their anniversary but was also the day the first sod was cut for their new Church building.

The Service, which began at 3.30, was attended by many from neighbouring congregations, including some from as far as Clogher Valley. It was planned to have an open air meeting, but due to heavy showers the crowd of just over 200 were accommodated inside the present Church building.

The former minister in charge, Rev. J. Hartin, opened the meeting in prayer and the Rev. F. Greenfield ministered in song. Other visiting ministers included, Rev. R. Stewart, Rev. T. Baxter and Rev. D. Creane.

The minister of Newtownards, Rev. T. A. Dunlop, in welcoming the Moderator and the visitors made reference to the need for a strong separated witness in Newtownards.

Mr. Dunlop said that although he was conscious that he had entered into the labours of others, in Newtownards, still it was a special day for him in that it marked his first anniversary there as the first ordained minister to the congregation. The Free Presbyterian Church, he said, depended not on frills or thrills in its evangelism and he rejoiced that at the end of his first year the plain preaching of God's Word had brought its own results. The congregation had almost doubled in numbers and many souls had been saved, with the communicant membership also being increased.

The highlight of the occasion, however, was the sermon preached by Dr. Paisley. Taking as his theme the first mention of the word 'dig' in Scripture, Dr. Paisley preached from Gen. 21-22 and ch. 26.

He said that the wells which Abraham had dug and which Isaac reopened had lessons for the Church of Christ. There were fine things connected with the wells that had a direct relationship to the Church. In Gen. 21 there was the well itself, the seven ewe lambs, and a tree planted, and in Gen. ch. 26 an altar and a tent completed the list.

Looking at these fine things in relation to the Church we see that the tree is the centre of witness to the Church. Dr. Paisley said that the Church goes from strength to strength as it preaches the Cross. May we never look for the spectacular or the entertaining of the world but continue to preach the Cross of Christ.

The well itself, he said, was only a receptacle, it contained the water, a channel only. Salvation is not in the Church, but the Gospel well can be brought to men through the Church and it can supply the needs of all.

The ewe lambs were not for sacrifice but for witness, and the witness of the Church is the witness of new born lambs into the fold. Souls saved were the witness to the uncircumcised Philistines round about. [29]

The altar spoke to us of prayer and dedication. The Church of Christ never prospered except when the altar of prayer was in good repair. We must be constant in prayer and dedicated to the work at hand. Finally, there was the tent. It was a temporary dwelling, signifying that we are moving forward, forward in progress, forward in battle, forward until the day when the world meets the Lord in Glory.

The congregation was very attentive as the Moderator elaborated on these things with great liberty and freedom, and a blessing was felt by all who heard.

The truth was expressed in lighter vein when at the actual cutting of the sod, as Mr. Paisley handed back the spade to Mr. Dunlop, he said, "I trust that you will not only dig a well here, but a grave for apostasy and all false doctrine, and may it be a Sadducees grave, from which there is no Resurrection."

The offering that day came to eleven hundred and forty-five pounds, with a promise of another two hundred, and, just at the time of writing, another dear lady has given a gift of 1,000 pounds. With the steel structure being gifted and the tiles also as a present, our hearts give thanks to God for His goodness, through all His servants, and we look forward to times of refreshing in Newtownards.